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Documentos de Cultura
33 ISSN: 0013-3264
*
DOI:10.2298/EKA1609079S
Slađana Savović*
THE POST-ACQUISITION PERFORMANCE OF ACQUIRED
COMPANIES: EVIDENCE FROM THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
ABSTRACT: This paper explores the post-acquisition performance of acquired companies in the Republic of Serbia,
and whether company size is a factor of post- acquisition performance. The data were collected from 91 managers
in 10 acquired companies in Serbia. The acquiring com- panies came from Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland,
Belgium, Norway, Greece, and Serbia. The results of the analysis show that 70% of managers believed that there
had been improvement in post-acquisition performance. The improvement in perfor-
mance was achieved for the most part by cost reduction. The results of this study in- dicate that there are
statistically significant differences between large, medium, and small companies. Large companies had the best
improvement in financial perfor- mance, and medium companies were the best regarding improvement of non-finan-
cial performance.
KEY WORDS: post-acquisition perfor- mance, cross-border acquisitions, privati- zation, transition, company size.
JEL CLASSIFICATION: G34, L25, P31
University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Economics, Republic of Serbia, E-mail: ssladjana@kg.ac.rs
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1. INTRODUCTION
Market integration in a global economy, liberalization and the deregulation process all support the thesis
that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) play a significant role in the economy. Mergers and acquisitions are
necessary for some companies to meet their aims of long-term survival, growth, and development. Most
companies consider acquisitions to be the best way to invest corporate resources. In recent times the
Republic of Serbia has become one of the leading investment locations in Central and Eastern Europe,
with the majority of investors coming from European Union countries. Western companies recognized the
unexploited potential of Serbian companies and entered the Serbian market by acquiring target companies
with the aim of transferring knowledge and capital and improving performance. Over the last twenty
years, numerous studies have focused on the key issues of whether acquisitions are successful and if there
are improvements in post-acquisition performance (Morosini and Singh 1994; Schoenberg 2006; Tuch
and O’Sullivan 2007), but the answer to these questions is unclear. The research results are inconsistent,
with some studies showing that acquisitions are successful (Healy et al. 1992; Carow et al. 2004) and
others reporting a negative effect of acquisition on performance (Limmack 1991; Lu 2004). Inconsistency
in the literature with respect to acquisition success may be explained by inconsistent use of available
performance measures. The most commonly used measures of acquisition performance are
stock-market-based measures (Goergen and Renneboog 2004; Sudarsanam and Mahate 2003),
accounting-based measures (Healy et al. 1992; Lu 2004), and subjective performance measures based on
assessment by managers (Ingham et al. 1992; Adolph et al. 2001). Kiessling and Harvey (2006) point out
that focusing on financial performance measures leads to the neglect of the role of human resources,
acquired knowledge, and intangible goals. Subjective performance measures have the advantage over
stock-market- based performance measures of providing a multidimensional approach to performance
measurement. However, in merger and acquisition literature there are few studies that use a
multidimensional approach to evaluate post-acquisition performance. Additionally, studies have mainly
considered transactions in developed economies, while research in transition economies is relatively
limited. Therefore the first aim of this paper is to fill this research gap by exploring post- acquisition
performance of acquired companies in the Republic of Serbia as a transition economy, focusing on both
financial and non-financial performance measures.
Researchers have explored various factors in order to determine which factors influence post-acquisition
performance. They have analysed the impact of
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the acquiring company’s accumulated experience (Harding and Rovit 2004; Hayward 2002; Haleblian
and Finkelstein 1999; Leshchinskii and Zollo 2004), the transaction characteristics, i.e., the impact of
diversification (Campa and Kedia, 2002; Berger and Ofek 1995; Maquieria et.al. 1998) or form of
payment (Goergen and Renneboog 2004; Martyinova and Renneboog 2008; Eckbo et al. 1990), and the
size of the acquired and acquiring companies (Moeller et al. 2004; Linn and Switzer 2001; Switzer 1996).
The empirical research on the influence of acquired company size on post-acquisition performance is
mixed. Some authors argue that large acquired companies perform better post-acquisition than smaller
ones (Linn and Switzer 2001; Martynova et al. 2006), while others report a negative effect of company
size (Ravenscraft and Scherer 1989; Clark and Ofek 1994) on post-acquisition performance. Therefore the
second aim of this study is to investigate whether the size of the acquired company is a factor in
post-acquisition performance and whether there are differences in the post- acquisition performance of
different-sized companies.
This study makes an important theoretical and practical contribution to the literature of M&A. First, the
results of the study improve the understanding of post-acquisition performance, especially in the context
of a transition economy. Second, this study provides a holistic view of the performance of M&A
transactions by focusing on both financial and non-financial performance measures. Third, by considering
the influence of the acquired company’s size on post-acquisition performance, the results of this study
provide a better understanding of post- acquisition performance. This study has important practical
implications for managers of acquired companies in transition economies, as it shows the need to control
the non-financial results that provide the basis for improving performance in the long-term; the need to
undertake corrective action to improve non-financial performance such as employee satisfaction; and the
need for managers to develop the skills of transformational leadership, which will help them overcome
problems of post-acquisition integration.
This paper is structured as follows. First the theoretical framework and hypotheses are presented. Next,
the methodology is outlined, particularly in terms of samples, measures, and preliminary analysis. Then
the research results are discussed. Finally, the theoretical and practical contributions of the research
results are emphasized.
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2. THEORY AND HYPOTHESES
2.1. Measurement of post-acquisition performance
Many authors have studied post-acquisition performance (Morosini and Singh 1994; Schoenberg 2006;
Tuch and O’Sullivan 2007; Sudarsanam and Mahate 2003, Martyinova and Renneboog 2008; Thanos and
Papadakis 2012). Zollo and Singh (2004) emphasize that there is heterogeneity in defining and measuring
post- acquisition performance. Kiessling and Harvey (2006) make similar observations, stressing that
there is no agreement regarding the most applicable method of either acquisition performance
measurement or the timing of measurement during the process. Zola and Meier (2008) analyse 88
empirical studies conducted between 1970 and 2006 and identify 12 approaches to measuring the impact
of acquisitions on shareholder value, concluding that the most common approaches to measuring
post-acquisition performance are stock-market-based measures, accounting-based measures, and
subjective measures.
The stock-market-based measure of performance observes the effect of acquisition on the movement of
company share price in the period between the announcement and the closing of the transaction. The use
of this performance measures is based on the assumption that the capital market operates efficiently,
which means that the share price reacts to new information in a timely and unbiased fashion and that
changes in company share price reflect the value of the acquisition (Cordin and Christman 2002).
Significant problems in assessing the performance of M&A transactions using stock-market-based
measures are that these measures do not apply to companies that are not quoted on the stock exchange,
and stock price changes may also be caused by other factors. It is particularly difficult to observe isolated
acquisition effects in the long-term, since strategic and operational decisions taken in the meantime can
lead to changes in funding policy and all this is reflected in the share price (Tuch and O’Sullivan 2007).
A group of studies that belong to industrial organization literature have used accounting-based measures
in evaluating post-acquisition performance. Thanos and Papadakis (2012) emphasize that the major
advantage of accounting-based measures is that they do not measure investors’ expectations but rather
actual performance based on annual financial statements. Chatterjee and Meeks (1996) state two
hypotheses – capital markets are not completely effective, and the informational efficiency of capital
markets is overvalued – and conclude that it is expedient to evaluate post-acquisition performance by
using accounting-based
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measures. An additional advantage of these measures compared to stock-based measures is that they can
measure the success of companies that are not listed on the stock exchange. Despite the advantages of
accounting-based measures they have numerous disadvantages, the main one being that they provide
conclusions based solely on past performance (Chenhall and Langfield-Smith 2007; Sudarsanam 2003).
As studies using accounting-based measures apply different accounting performance measures there is
also the problem of comparability of results (Tuch and O’Sullivan 2007). An additional disadvantage
results from the application of different accounting policies by individual companies, again making it
difficult to compare the results (Sudarsanam 2003; Bruner 2002).
The use of subjective performance measures is widespread in the literature of M&A and they are used
when it is not possible to use objective performance measures. This method involves researchers sending
questionnaires to managers, asking them how they perceive the financial and non-financial performance
of their company. The respondents are asked to assess accounting-based, market- based, and non-financial
indicators on the basis of their personal understanding of the current situation. The advantage of using
subjective performance measures is that they allow multidimensional measurement by including both
financial and non-financial performance indicators (Papadakis and Thanos 2010). However, these
performance measures also have certain limitations, the most important of which is that subjective
assessments of performance indicators may be affected by managers’ personal biases. Thus it is necessary
to use a large number of respondents.
2.2. Characteristics of the acquisition process in transition economies
In transition economies, business conditions are characterized by ongoing socio-economic and political
reform (Wegener 2012). One of the principal areas of economic reform is the corporate restructuring
undertaken by companies as they adapt for survival and success in a market economy (Fidrmuc 2007). In
this regard, mergers and acquisitions represent an important aspect of the corporate restructuring process
in transition economies (Lahovik 2011). Thus M&A deals are not only common in developed economies
but have also become more apparent in emerging and transition economies (Kumar and Bansal 2008),
where they represent a powerful and important tool for local markets and the development of local
companies. Foreign acquiring companies have strategic assets such as superior marketing expertise,
patent-protected technology, and managerial know-how (Deng and Yang 2015), which can help to better
develop the acquired companies. On the other hand, companies from emerging economies
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such as India and China tend to acquire target companies in more developed economies, increasingly
adopting cross-border mergers as the main approach to realizing internationalization.
Mergers and acquisitions in transition economies are more specific than in developed countries, as these
activities are largely related to the privatization process. In this context, local companies seek out
acquisition by foreign investors in order to improve their competitive position, while one of the motives
for acquisition by foreign companies is access to the target country’s natural resources. The importance of
resources to investors and their specific role are emphasized by the existence of particular growth patterns
in two groups of transition economies: resource-rich countries and countries with poor natural resources.
Cerovic et al (2014) have found that in the first group the share of industrial output in GDP positively
affects growth, while the second group’s growth is followed by negative net exports.
Additional motives of foreign companies include acquiring new customers for their products and/or
services and increasing efficiency levels based on lower labour cost, economies of scale, and other
benefits (Thomas and Grosse 2001). Wegener (2012) emphasizes geographic expansion and access to a
low-cost labour force as motives of foreign companies. Additionally, acquisition can be an attractive
establishment mode, as acquired companies provide knowledge of the local market as well as distribution
channels (Dikova and Witteloostuijn 2007).
However, the characteristics of transition economies include a damaged socialist administrative heritage,
inefficient human resources, and obsolete management practices. Hence, the transition of these economies
assumes changes in the institutional and economic settings, as well as changes in how firms operate and
how managers and employees behave (Bogićević Milikić and Janićijević 2009). In transition economies
the acquiring companies face the challenge of the acquired companies needing a thorough reorganization.
The reorganization of the acquired local companies includes asset restructuring and resource transfers
(Capron and Guillen 2008), because they typically lack essential resources and managers with experience
in competitive markets (Uhlenbruck 2004). Also, the acquired companies also need radical changes in
their organisational cultures, processes, and structures (Meyer 2002).
The Republic of Serbia was one of the last countries to enter the transition process, ten years after most
countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Transition in the Republic of Serbia started formally in 1989, but
the process was suppressed
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due to the ruling politics. Transition reforms really began after 2001, when the process of liberalization,
deregulation, and privatization began to improve the business investment climate and contributed to the
intensification of acquisitions, especially cross-border acquisitions.
The main characteristics of the acquisition process in the transition economy of the Republic of Serbia
were the existence of a thin national capital market with a small number of domestic acquiring companies
and the implementation of mainly horizontal acquisitions. Mergers and acquisitions in Serbia are of
interest to both domestic and foreign investors. From the beginning of the economic reforms the Republic
of Serbia became an important investment location, although less popular than some other countries
(Estrin and Uvalic 2014). According to the Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA),
the countries with most capital invested in the Republic of Serbia are Austria, the Netherlands, Greece,
Germany, Norway, Italy, the Russian Federation, Slovenia, France, and Switzerland.
The transition process and the entrance of foreign companies into the Serbian market brought an
opportunity to improve organizational performance. Recognizing the unexploited potential of target
companies, foreign investors entered the Serbian market in order to transfer the knowledge and skills that
were necessary to improve the performance of Serbian companies.
2.3. Results of empirical research regarding the effects of acquisition
on post-acquisition performance
2.3.1. Post-acquisition performance in developed economies
Studies that examine the effects of acquisition by observing changes in stock prices can be classified as
short-term or long-term. The short-term studies evaluate the returns to the acquired company’s
shareholders as positive and significant due to the large premiums paid. Goergen and Renneboog (2004)
point out that the shareholders of acquired companies receive large premiums of on average 20%- 40%
more than the share price before the offer was announced. By contrast, results of studies of the impact on
the acquiring company’s shareholders are inconclusive, with some studies showing positive returns
(Ben-Amar and Andre 2006) and others showing negative returns (Sudarsanam and Mahate 2003). Bruner
(2002) provides a summary review of 130 studies conducted between 1971 and 2001 and concludes that
the returns to the acquiring companies’ shareholders were zero. Researchers have also studied the effects
on combined companies (Bradley
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et al. 1988; Carow et al. 2004; Healy et al. 1992). While these studies show that acquisitions lead to
positive returns, it is important to emphasize that most of these returns belong to the acquired companies’
shareholders. Long-term studies (Tuch and O’Sullivan 2007) have shown that the acquisitions generate
negative or insignificant returns for the acquiring companies’ shareholders in the long run. Limmack
(1991), based on 448 acquisitions completed between 1977 and 1986, indicates the existence of
significant negative returns.
The results of accounting-based studies regarding post-acquisition performance are not uniform.
Ravensraft and Scherer (1989) investigate the profitability of companies in the same field of operations
and conclude that the profitability of acquired companies declines in the post-acquisition period. Lu
(2004), in a study of 592 transactions in the U.S.A., compared the performance of the companies in the 60
months before and after the acquisition, and reported a negative post- acquisition performance. By
contrast, Healy et al. (1992) analysed fifty mergers in the period from 1979 to 1984 and found that
performance improved in the post-acquisition period.
The third group of studies uses subjective performance measures to assess post- acquisition performance.
Based on a sample of 146 large firms in the United Kingdom, Ingham et al. (1992) found that 77% of
managers believed that profitability increased in the short run after a merger and 68% believed that
profitability improved in the long run. A study by Booz, Allen, and Hamilton showed that 53% of M&As
failed to deliver their expected results (Adolph et al. 2001). On the basis of 107 companies that took part
in international transactions from 1996 to 1997, a KPMG study conducted in 1999 showed that 82% of
transactions were successful in the opinion of the executive managers (Kelly et al. 1999). A study by
KPMG in 2001 (Cook and Spitzer 2001) that examined the attitudes of executive managers in 118
companies that took part in international transactions from 1997 to 1999 showed that 75% of transactions
were successful. Schoenberg (2006), in a study of 61 international acquisitions executed by UK
companies from 1988 to 1990, showed that in 44% of cases managers were dissatisfied or very
dissatisfied with the financial performance of acquisitions compared to the expectations. Empirical testing
conducted by Papadakis and Thanos (2010), based on a sample of 50 domestic acquisitions carried out by
Greek companies, showed that for 60% of the top managers the acquisition did not meet initial
expectations. Thus, analysis of the results of research on post-acquisition performance in developed
economies shows that the results of the studies are mixed: some have shown that acquisitions improve
performance, while others came to the opposite conclusion.
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2.3.2. Post-acquisition performance in transition economies
A review of the literature on post-acquisition performance reveals that most of the studies were carried
out in developed economies and only a small number focus on emerging and transition economies. Some
studies explore the post- acquisition performance of cross-border acquirers from emerging economies
(Nicholson and Salaber 2013; Kale and Singh 2012; Narayan and Thenmozhi 2014). Nicholson and
Salaber (2013) explore the motives and performance of cross-border acquirers from China and India and
conclude that these buyers tend to acquire target companies in more developed economies and create
significant abnormal returns. Kale and Singh’s (2012) study of 73 overseas acquisitions by Indian firms
confirmed that, on average, Indian acquirers have created positive value for their shareholders. The
authors also measured long-term performance using a subjective performance measure and showed that
senior executives were satisfied with the performance of the acquisitions. On the other hand, Narayan and
Thenmozhi (2014) emphasized that cross-border acquisition destroys value when emerging market
companies acquire companies in developed markets.
Some studies have attempted to empirically investigate the impact of acquisitions on post-acquisition
performance in transition economies (Ahunov et al. 2013; Kumar and Bansal 2008; Lahovik 2005;
Narayan and Thenmozhi 2014; Dikova and van Witteloostuijn 2007). Ahunov et al. (2013) investigated
the impact of cross-border acquisitions on the performance of acquired banks in Ukraine. The results
show that after acquisition the cost efficiency of the acquired banks improved, but this did not result in
higher profitability or higher loan-market shares. Kumar and Bansal (2008) examine the impact of
mergers and acquisitions on corporate performance in India. The results show that for more than half of
the explored merger cases, financial performance improved in the post-merger time period. Lahovik
(2005) investigates the performance of acquisitions in Slovenia using a subjective measure of
performance and three additional criteria: divestiture rate, return on equity (ROE), and value added per
employee. The results show that horizontal acquisitions outperformed vertical and conglomerate
acquisitions. Additionally, Lahovik (2005) found that the development of forms of co-operation in the
pre-bid period and the support of the target company’s management determined realisation of the most
important acquisition motives and of the performance measured by ROE and value added per employee.
Narayan and Thenmozhi (2014) investigate whether cross-border acquisitions involving emerging
markets create value. As already noted above, these authors fined value destruction when emerging
market companies acquire companies in
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larger companies leads to better post-acquisition performance compared to smaller companies. Martynova
et al. (2006) point out that it is more likely that larger companies can realize significant operating and
financial synergies and economies of scale than smaller acquired companies, thus leading to stronger
post-acquisition operating performance. Linn and Switzer (2001) show that the performance of larger
acquired companies is better than the performance of smaller acquired companies. A study by Capron
(1999) found a positive and significant relationship between the relative size of the acquired company and
cost savings and innovation capability. These results suggest that the larger the size of the acquired
company relative to the acquiring company, the higher the impact of the acquisition on cost savings and
innovation capability.
On the other hand, some authors (Clark and Ofek 1994) emphasize that the ‘size effect’ can be positive
when the greater relative size of the acquired company contributes to achieving greater synergy and
economic benefits, but can be negative when a larger acquired company brings major integration and
management problems. Clark and Ofek (1994) conclude that the difficulties in managing large combined
companies outweigh the operational and financial synergies, resulting in reduced performance. Mulherin
and Boone (2000) point out that large deals may take longer than expected, which could result in negative
market reactions. Ravenscraft and Scherer (1989) emphasize that the larger acquired company has a
complex organizational structure and hence can create more problems during the process of adaptation
and/or establishing a new organizational structure. Some authors argue that smaller companies have better
post-acquisition performance. Sudarsanam et al. (1996) found that deals involving smaller acquired
companies increased shareholders’ returns by an average of 1% in the period from -20 to +40 days of the
announcement of the acquisition.
In addition to studies that emphasize the positive or negative impact of company size on post-acquisition
performance there are those that have found no statistically significant relationship between the two
factors (Powell and Stark 2005; Sharma and Ho 2002).
Although evidence from empirical research on the influence of acquired company size on post-acquisition
performance is mixed, we expect that larger companies perform better than smaller companies in the
post-acquisition period. Thus the second research hypothesis is:
Hypothesis 2: Larger companies perform better than smaller companies in the post-acquisition period.
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3. METHOD
3.1. Sample
The data reported in this paper were collected from primary sources during 2013, as part of a larger
research effort. The survey included companies in the Republic of Serbia with the following
characteristics: 1) the companies were acquired during the period from between 2002 and 2011, and 2) the
companies were of different sizes (small, medium, and large). Thirty companies were contacted by
telephone and cover letters were sent to managers asking them for permission to distribute questionnaires.
Questionnaire distribution was approved in 10 companies. The acquiring companies were from Germany,
Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Greece, and Serbia. The sample consists of 6 large, 2
medium, and 2 small companies. The companies are grouped into large, medium-sized, and small
categories according to the classification provided by the Business Registers Agency. The following
criteria are used to determine company size: number of employees, revenue amount, and value of
company assets, in accordance with Serbian Accounting Law criteria. The characteristics of the
companies in the sample are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Characteristics of companies in the sample
Company
Year of acquisition
Type of acquisition
Country of acquiring company
Acquired company size Company 1 2004 Domestic Serbia Large Company 2 2006 Cross-border Norway
Medium Company 3 2010 Cross-border Italy Small Company 4 2010 Cross-border Germany Medium
Company 5 2006 Cross-border Greece Large Company 6 2005 Cross-border Austria Large Company 7
2002 Cross-border Switzerland Large Company 8 2006 Cross-border Germany Large Company 9 2005
Domestic Serbia Large Company 10 2011 Cross-border Belgium Large Source: The Privatization Agency
of the Republic of Serbia, The Business Registers Agency, and company web sites
There were 300 questionnaires in total. Out of the initially sent questionnaires, 94 were filled out
(response rate of 31.3%). Therefore, the sample covers 94 respondents (n = 94). As shown in Table 2,
most of the respondents (70.2%) are operative
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management, 28.7% are middle management, and 1.1% are top management. Regarding gender, the
sample comprises slightly more men (52.1%) than women (46.8%). Most of the respondents are 36–45
years old (38.3%). Finally, 37.2% of respondents have extensive work experience (more than 25 years).
Table 2. Sample characteristics
Variable Frequency % of Total Position
Top management 1 1.1 Middle management 27 28.7 Operative management 66 70.2 Gender
Male 49 52.1 Female 44 46.8 No response 1 1.1 Age distribution (years)
26-35 13 13.8 36-45 36 38.3 46-55 24 25.5 >55 18 19.1 No response 3 3.2 Years of work experience
<2 1 1.1 3-5 2 2.1 6-10 10 10.6 11-15 17 18.1 16-25 27 28.7 >25 35 37.2 No response 2 2.1 Source:
Author’s calculation
Data analysis was carried out using Statistical Package Social Sciences 20.0. Exploratory Factor Analysis
(EFA) was applied in the preliminary analysis, and the data for factor analysis was tested with the
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity. The reliability of
the measure scale was measured with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The normality of the distribution of
the research variables was tested with the Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. The propositions
were tested with descriptive statistics and the Kruskal–Wallis test.
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3.2. Measures
Post-acquisition performance was measured using subjective performance measures. Respondents were
asked to assess the financial and non-financial indicators of their companies after acquisition, using
five-point Likert scales with anchors ranging from “strongly disagree” (1) to “strongly agree” (5).
Example items are “Cost-reduction is higher than prior to the acquisition”, “Income growth/stability is
higher than prior to the takeover”, “The market share of the company is higher than prior to the
acquisition”, and “Development of new products/services is better after the acquisition”.
3.3. Preliminary analyses
The data for factor analysis were tested with the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure of sampling adequacy
(KMO = 0.906) and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (p = 0.000). Principal Component Analysis showed
unidimensionality of scale, in that all items are grouped around a single factor that explains 72.86% of the
total variance.
Reliability and internal consistency of scale were measured by Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.96). The high
value of this coefficient means that the variables used to measure post-acquisition performance have a
high level of internal consistency, since the acceptable value of this coefficient is above 0.7.
Kolmogoro-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests were used to test the normality of the distribution of
variables. Normality of distribution is confirmed if deviation from normality is statistically insignificant
(p>0.05). In this case, the levels of significance of the Kolmogoro-Smirnov test (p=0.02) and the
Shapiro-Wild test (p=0.00) indicate that assumption of normality of distribution was not confirmed. For
this reason, the analysis was performed using the non-parametric Kruskal Wallis test. Through applying
the Kruskal–Wallis test we investigated whether there are statistically significant differences in
post-acquisition performance between small, medium, and large acquired companies.
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4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1. Descriptive statistics
The mean, median, and mode of the post-acquisition performance variable are shown in Table 3. The
value of the mean (mean=3.61) is above 3, which means that the managers of the acquired companies are
relatively satisfied with the improvement in post-acquisition performance. This conclusion is imposed on
the basis of median values (median=3.89), which is a better measure of central tendency when there are
violations of the assumption of normal distribution shape.
Table 3. The average values of post-acquisition performance in total sample
Variable N AS SD Median Mode Post-acquisition performance 91 3,61 1,12 3,89 5 Source: Author’s
calculation
The mean, median, and mode of post-acquisition performance indicators are shown in Table 4. The value
of arithmetic means shows that managers see the greatest improvement in the cost reduction indicator
(АS=3.86) and the least improvement in the employee satisfaction indicator (АS=3.17). The median and
mode values indicate that managers are least satisfied with improvement in the employee satisfaction and
customer base expansion.
Table 4. Indicators of post-acquisition performance in the total sample
Indicators of post-acquisition performance
N AS SD Median Mode
Cost reduction 91 3.86 1.252 4.00 5 Income growth/stability 92 3.78 1.316 4.00 5 Improvement in
productivity 94 3.78 1.254 4.00 5 Improvement in competitive position 92 3.73 1.302 4.00 5
Development of new products/services 92 3.60 1.310 4.00 5 Improvement in the quality of
products/services
92 3.57 1.295 4.00 5
Improvement in market share 94 3.54 1.381 4.00 5 Expansion of customer base 92 3.50 1.347 3.00 3
Improvement in job satisfaction 92 3.17 1.323 3.00 3 Source: Author’s calculation
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Cost reduction in the acquired companies can be explained by the fact that a large number of companies
included in the sample were acquired in the privatization process. Prior to acquisition these companies
were performing poorly and had obsolete technology and redundant employees. The implementation of
radical changes after acquisition, including reducing the number of employees, technology innovation,
and business rationalization led to the cost reduction. On the other hand the new owners brought new
organizational behaviour and a strenuous pace of work, which is reflected in the employee satisfaction
level.
The estimated post-acquisition performance of the acquired Serbian companies is shown in Table 5.
Schoenberg (2006) signifies acquisitions as successful when the weighted mean score is greater than or
equal to 3.0, and unsuccessful when the score is lower than 3.0. Based on these criteria, 70% of
acquisitions can be considered successful and 30% as unsuccessful. On the basis of average values, it can
be concluded that Company 7 has achieved the best performance in the studied group of companies
(AS=4.54), as well as Company 2 (AS=4.27), while Company 10 had the worst post-acquisition
performance (AS=1.74).
Table 5. Post-acquisition performance of acquired Serbian companies
Acquired companies
Country of acquiring company
N Min Max AS SD Median Mode
Company 1 Serbia 8 1.00 4.89 2.30 1.52 1.61 1.00 Company 2 Norway 5 2.56 5.00 4.27 1.02 4.67 5.00 Company 3
Italia 7 3.33 5.00 4.09 0.51 4.11 4.22 Company 4 German 13 2.78 5.00 4.08 0.71 3.89 3.89 Company 5 Greece 7
2.78 5.00 4.22 0.88 4.44 5.00 Company 6 Austria 5 3.22 4.78 4.22 0.63 4.22 4.78 Company 7 Switzerland 7 4.22
5.00 4.54 0.30 4.44 4.33 Company 8 German 16 2.11 3.89 3.19 0.56 3.22 3.22 Company 9 Serbia 17 2.11 4.78 3.70
0.87 4.00 2.44 Company 10 Belgian 6 1.00 3.44 1.74 1.12 1.05 1.00 Source: Author’s calculation
Company 7 was acquired in 2002 and this acquisition was an integral part of the privatization process.
With the arrival of foreign owners, this company became a leading manufacturer in the Serbian
construction industry. In a relatively short period of time the company, which previously had relied on
outdated technology, grew into a modern company with high technological standards. Rationalization
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(Mean Rank=62.44, p<0.05). The small companies had the lowest post-acquisition performance in
improving the quality of products/services (Mean Rank=34.07, p<0.05) and development of new
products/services (Mean Rank=35.23, p<0.05), while they were somewhat better than the large companies
in terms of expanding the customer base (Mean Rank=44.67, p<0.05). The improvement of these non-
financial indicators is very important because if the company is able to meet customer needs, achieve
customer loyalty, attract new customers, improve product quality, and develop new products, it will
improve the overall efficiency of future business operations. The results show significant differences
according to company size in four indicators (cost reduction, expansion of the customer base,
improvement of the quality of products/services, development of new products/ services), but not for the
remaining five indicators. The results of the analyses of the impact of company size on post-acquisition
performance showed that large companies were the best at cost reduction, while medium-size companies
were the best at improving non-financial indicators - expansion of customer base, improved product
quality, and development of new products and services. The small companies showed came lowest in
almost all performance indicators, except for expanding the customer base, where they were better than
the large companies. According to these results, Hypothesis 2 should not be rejected.
6. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
The evaluation of acquisition success requires multi-dimensional measurement of post-acquisition
performance, including financial and non-financial performance indicators and whether after acquisition
the company achieves cost reduction, improved income, improved market share, improved competitive
ability, improved productivity, etc. The results of the study show that, according to the managers’
estimates, a large percentage of the investigated companies achieved improved post-acquisition
performance. This is explained by the fact that in many cases the acquisitions were part of the
privatization process and the acquired companies were state-owned prior to acquisition and were
performing poorly financially. After acquisition the new owners reorganized business operations and
established a new system of values, which is reflected in the improvement of post-acquisition
performance. The results of this study show that there are statistically significant differences in individual
performance indicators, in particular cost reduction (where the greatest improvement was achieved by
large companies), expansion of the customer base, improvement of product quality, and development of
new products and services (where the greatest improvement was achieved by medium-sized companies).
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satisfaction, innovation, product quality, and expansion or the customer base are all outcomes that drive
future performance. The results of this study emphasize that non-financial indicators, such as poor job
satisfaction, demand a response from managers. Managers should be transformational leaders and actively
work to encourage employee satisfaction. Therefore companies in transition economies should
continuously educate managers to develop the transformational leadership skills that will help them to
develop an open dialogue with employees about everyday problems and challenges in a company,
developing employees’ acceptance of change and feelings of safety and thus creating a positive attitude
toward change and better post-acquisition performance.
This study has some limitations that need to be mentioned. The first relates to sample size. Future
research on post-acquisition performance should be conducted using a larger sample. Second, the problem
of obtaining objective performance measures has determined the use of subjective performance measures,
which provide a multi-dimensional approach to performance since managers evaluate both financial and
non-financial performance indicators. However, future studies should also measure success using other
methods so that empirical comparison of various performance measures can be carried out to determine
whether there is a correlation between them.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of
Serbia as part of research project No. 41010, titled ‘Pre-clinical testing of bioactive substances’,
subproject: ‘Management and Marketing Research as a Support to Interdisciplinary Project Realization’.
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Received: January 14, 2016 Accepted: March 07, 2016
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